wfn.org | WCC event helps young adults learn about peace, faith in Middle East

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

July 24, 2000 News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York 10-71B
(339)

By Adeyemi Oshodi*

NEW YORK (UMNS) -- As Palestinian and Israeli leaders headed to Camp David
to resume peace negotiations, a group of 13 young adults from the United
States arrived in Jerusalem to attend a conference on peace and faith in the
Middle East.

Among them was Ana Toledo, 27, of Baltimore, who had received a scholarship
from the United Methodist Church to attend the July 9-16 event, sponsored by
the World Council of Churches (WCC).

"The negotiations made the trip very timely," Toledo told United Methodist
News Service. "We were fortunate to have people there discussing the issues
at the heart of the Palestine -Israeli conflict as they played out in the
international arena."

The goal of the WCC conference was to help young adults learn about the
realities of Israel and Palestine, the status of peace negotiations, and
particularly the status of Jerusalem, a holy city for Muslims, Jews, and
Christians.  

The trip began with a two-day session that familiarized participants with
the history, culture, and conflict of the Middle East. The orientation was
organized by the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study on International
Affairs.

That time was useful for Toledo, who did not have a background in Middle
Eastern studies, though she recently graduated from Princeton Seminary,
where she studied church and society.  Toledo's previous travels had taken
her to South Africa as a mission intern for the United Methodist Board of
Global Ministries.

Toledo said she had always enjoyed studying about the intersection of
religion and politics. "I was interested in visiting a context of conflict
where Christians are a religious minority," she explained.  "I hoped to gain
a deeper understanding of the history, society, political conflict, and the
experience of the Christian churches in the region." 

Following the orientation session, participants attended an exposure trip
organized by Board of Global Ministries, Catholic Relief Services and the
Presbyterian Church (USA).   The young adults engaged in lectures and
discussions with members of human rights organizations, local religious
clergy, politicians, professors, and other experts reflecting Palestinian,
Israeli, Christian and Muslim perspectives.

One of the most significant experiences for Toledo was a tour of East
Jerusalem and the West Bank, which were occupied by Israel in 1967.  In
1993, the Israeli government denied Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza
Strip entrance to Israel and access to Jerusalem. 

During the tour Toledo saw the construction and "by-pass" road signs that
prevented Palestinians from entering certain zones.  She said the experience
was very intense.  "It became clear to me how systematic the Israeli
government efforts have been in ensuring control of the land and movement of
people," Toledo said.  

"It saddened me to hear that some Palestinian Christians and Muslims live so
close to the holy sites but are prohibited from entering Jerusalem because
they do not have the necessary pass...as a foreigner I have more access."

Toledo also expressed concern that the international media had thwarted the
representation of Palestinian people.  Having the opportunity to meet with
officials and speak with citizens made her understand that Jerusalem is
about more than a conflict.  

"My knowledge of the Palestinian people' struggle was limited and skewed
before I went on this trip," she noted.  "It made me realize the importance
for visitors to the Holy City to not only visit the holy sites, but also
encounter the real people who live in the city."

Participants had a passionate discussion with Middle Eastern young adults
about the future of their region.  Besides learning about how those young
adults learned to live amidst conflict, the groups also discussed the
history of America, paralleling the situation in Jerusalem to the Native
Americans struggle in the United States. 

"The experience has challenged me to be an advocate for human rights in
Jerusalem, and to share the story of the reality of Jerusalem, especially
within the Christian community," Toledo said.

Other young adult participants in the seminar included: Ruth Allen, New
York; Michelle Curtis, New Mexico; Wylin Dassie, Georgia; Lars Jepsen,
California; Kawi  Mailutha, Kenya and New York; Hannah Merriman, New York;
Jodie Mueller, New York; Kathryn Olsen, Illinois; Nick Reith, Connecticut;
Vance Robbins, Texas; Traci Scheuermann, Iowa; and Casey Thompson, Iowa.
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* Oshodi, a journalism student at Miami University of Ohio, is a short-term
intern for United Methodist News Service in New York.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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